This article, Bright Futures, is mainly about Maine middle schools and the development of these middle schools, to reach their full potential that is ideal and satisfactory for student success. This article outlines 12 core practices that are based on the Maine Learning Results that outline what a middle school in Maine could, and should, try and look like. These core practices are things like integrated curriculum, the use of computers in the classroom, effective uses of different methods of instruction and the use of creativity to produce innovation. According to the Bright Futures article these different components are the key to running a successful middle school. The article also talks about how successful middle schools are healthy and safe learning environments for all students, considering the importance, and hardship, of middle school both educationally and emotionally for students, fostering a safe and healthy learning environment is encouraged for student success.
In the responses to Bright Futures, one of the most common takeaways was that middle school students face a unique set of challenges, because of the incredible amount of changes they are experiencing. Beyond that, the responses varied quite a bit, while still focusing on a small handful of ideas presented in the text. Many people wrote about aspects of curriculum, agreeing that it should be integrated across multiple disciplines, and be relevant to the lives of the students. A few responses also mentioned the importance of bridging the divide between the school and the community, and how doing so can benefit students, parents, and the community. On the topic of community, there were also mentions of how teachers should strive to create a sense of community within their classrooms, and a supportive environment. Although it wasn’t specifically stated in each response, the underlying message was that students need strong support systems to successfully transition through middle school, but that providing support does
not mean removing challenge.
Rhi
This article begins talking about how Knox Middle School went from being a junior high school with a "checklist" of things that they needed to have, to a middle school with teams of teachers who are positively impacting their students on a daily basis. They went through a process, which I think is so cool, by creating an advisory committee, comprised of teachers, students, and parents, to figure out what a "successful" middle school looks like. They visited other schools and researched what the best practices were for a middle school and had debates and conversations on what was the best option on how they could implement them into their own school. This all came after the school got a new superintendent and a new principal. They came out of this with small teams of teachers that fostered a better environment for both teachers to create cross subject relationships and be able to better assist their students both inside and outside of the classroom.
"Above all else, young adolescents need adult advocates—parents and family, teachers, community members, and others—who recognize their positive possibilities, challenge them to their highest abilities, and support them unconditionally." This quote is the basis of what I believe in most as a future educator. This is true for all students, but it is very important in the middle school years when students are going through so many changes developmentally. They need strong support systems from anywhere they can get it. If not at home, than I believe it is their teacher's responsibilities to both be that support and also to help them find support in good friends or in community members. Maybe high schoolers or local mentor programs.
Miranda
Before even beginning to read Bright Futures I thought it was going to be similar to standards, where it just lists more standards and somehow expect teacher to include all of that in their curriculum for the year and make it harder for teachers to teach what they already have. After reading this article I found that this can actually be a very helpful guideline in directing kids to where they need to go in school, and what they need to learn. In this article they actually give a "standard" but it is a preexisting standard that includes a MLTI, or MLR standard and they include this with a more elaborate explanation. They also provide an in class example and different goals for each section. It gives examples of how to tie one concept to another, like the internet with their history standards and how these standards that have been proposed can be up lifted to get kids to the point that they need to learn. This makes kids, make more connections across disciplines and subjects as well as allow kids to connect to their community, school and understand some basic concepts in life, that a normal curriculum may not provide for them. Throughout all of this, it is ultimately trying to make a whole, well rounded student.
Elizabeth
"Bright Futures!: A Framework of Twelve Core Practices for Maine Middle Grades Schools Developing Full Academic, Personal and Social Potential for Maine Young Adolescents" was published by the Maine Department of Education in 2009. In this post, I'm going to focus on the 12 core practices outlined on pages 9-11.
The first component is that teachers should create an integrated curriculum that is organized, relevant to students' lives, accessible to all students, and challenging. This is an excellent start, and I think all teachers strive to do this. I think the trickiest part of this would be making the curriculum accessible to a classroom of diverse learners while also challenging even gifted students. Exploring this question might also lead to debate about the benefits of grouping students heterogeneously or homogeneously.
The second and third components require teachers to employ effective, research-backed methods of instruction which are centered around ensuring that students will be considered literate in our contemporary society. This is important because we want to ensure that teachers are presenting information in effective ways so that it's accessible to students. At the same time, I hope this standard allows for teachers to collaborate often and have the opportunities to try out new teaching methods.
The fourth aspect states that students need their own computers and that they should use them regularly in different subject areas. This enables students to become technologically literate. I think that it's essential for today's students to be comfortable with using technology, but that technology should not be the main focus in the classroom. Students should be well-rounded and comfortable with writing things out by hand, doodling, and holding physical books, as well as interacting with their digital counterparts.
The fifth component is that learning should be based in creativity in innovation. This aims to promote divergent thinking in students. This is really important! The purpose of education is to help give students the support, knowledge, and skills they need to be successful in life. No matter what career path students ultimately choose, they will all need to know how to solve problems, think critically, and be creative. Incorporating opportunities for students to create solutions to problems in the classroom setting gives them the opportunity to take risks and make mistakes in a safe, low risk environment.
What's more, they also maintain that school leaders should ensure that their school is a positive learning environment and a safe, caring community for all students. This is something I really value. It's important for teachers to really understand the culture of their school and their community. High school students are still figuring out who they are, what they value, and what their sense of morality is like. It's up to school staff members to model acceptance, compassion, positivity, and love to their students.
Teachers are also encouraged to foster a sense of community in their classrooms where students can build meaningful relationships. Additionally, students should have access to programs where all students are valued team members and can gain skills and have fun together. This is a great idea, but I wonder what it would look like in the average public school. I think the best thing a school could do would be to offer a wide variety of clubs, activities, and sports, and be open to students suggesting or creating new ones. This would allow students to meet new friends outside of the classroom and explore their interests.
In accordance with these standards, teachers and administrators are also lifelong learners. They are constantly seeking to improve themselves and their schools by learning and implementing new curriculum and teaching strategies. Furthermore, they are aware of the unique needs of adolescents and how best to reach them. The world is ever-changing, and teachers need to keep up! We must constantly be evaluating what we teach and how were teaching it to ensure that students are receiving an education that is accessible, meaningful, and engaging for them.
Finally, the last standard involves the role of parents. "Bright Futures!" advocates for parents to be actively involved in the school community and their child's education. This is an excellent sentiment, but the school should also serve as a place where parents can find resources. For example, teachers shouldn't give extra credit to students whose parents attend parent teacher conferences. That's unfair to students whose parents work schedule does not allow for them to attend conferences, or for students whose parents are neglectful of them. Instead, schools might consider hosting support groups for single parents, or the parents of teenagers in general. I think that this setting would bring parents who might not typically be involved in the school community together, and it would make them feel more supported.
Sarah
During the article, I was really intrigued with the final idea that it takes more than just a middle school to make all these changes happen. Yes, the article was focused on the changes that were made in a middle school, which normally wouldn't be as interesting for me since I have little interest in the middle school, but I think this article helped me realize that just because I want to teach in a high school my students had to get their education before they get to me somewhere. If what is happening in the middle school doesn't fit what we are doing in the high school, the teachers and administration will be spending the first two years of high school trying to show the kids what we really want them to be doing. There needs to be a push for a strong education at this primal age for the students. I also found it interesting that it was part of this Bright Futures plan that here at UMF there is a middle-level education class. I have always thought that that class was very interesting for our certificates are for 7-12 but there is such a big jump from one age group to the other. The content becomes harder to grasp, the maturity level changes drastically, and it is overall such a hard age range to decide what we should and should not be teaching. By having a middle-level class, it allows for the teachers to become more equipped with what it takes to tailor to middle school students. There was also a lot of information in each of the 12 core practices of course, but it seemed really out of reach. After each of the rationales that included anything from parent involvement to professional development, there was a short snapshot of what that could possibly look like. Each very different but fit in well with each other. There was also a short explanation that it is understood it is going to take a while to accomplish all of these goals, but there are ways to implement some of them immediately; funding and organization. These two goals are very important to make anything happen in the schools.
John
The first thing that stood out to me was the Bright Futures mission statement. It is all about better the middles level practices. It has high expectations for all their students and uses the Maine Learning Results as a basis for the curriculum, instruction, and assessment. I have been a big fan of the Maine Learning Results for a couple of years now because it breaks everything down into simple standards that are easy to follow. One of the best things about it is they advocate for young adolescents even if what they do may not be current practice or easy to accomplish. This initiative has been growing for many years and that’s what makes it a lasting and profitable resource. It is always evolving and improving in order give young adolescents what they need and part of that is making sure that the teachers are all up to date and knowledgeable about all things in their field of teaching. Those teachers need to make sure that the learning experiences in their classes are meaningful, coherent, and relevant so that students can think at high levels. This will better prepare them for their futures. Aside from academics, this curriculum helps students understand themselves and the world they live in, while broadening their views on such things. Bright Futures talks about what it is like when students first reach middle school. They have a heavier work load as well as an increase in sophistication of reading and writing in multiple content areas. Focusing on these areas with ongoing instruction will improve the literacy in all content areas and bring each student to the same standard of reading and writing ability. Bright Futures is a well thought out initiative that I cannot help but agree with.
Riley
I spent last summer working at a summer camp and had ten middle schools boys in my cabin all summer. From this experience I know how difficult middle schoolers can be, but I also know that middle school is a critical time for maturing and for growing. If our middle schools are not doing a good job, students will not be ready for high school, which is setting students up to fail.
What I really like from this article is the emphasis on making cross subject and real world connections. I like how it allows students to connect to their communities and to work on real world projects.
Another big part of middle school has nothing to do with the school work itself but rather the school environment, and that is the maturation process for these students. I just think it's so important for teachers to build relationships with these students and to help them with their struggles, even the ones outside of their school work. It's just such an important time for these kids and middle school teachers have to be there for these kids to help in any ways possible. These kids will not be ready for high school and then the real world if we don't.
Samantha
Bright futures is a framework designed for middle school students to help develop academic, personal, and social potiential through academic instruction. Bright futures bases their researched-based framework off of twelve practices that educators can integrate within their own classrooms.
The Core Principles Include:
Students have access to curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory and is organized and executed to maximize accessibility for all students.
Teachers use research-based instructional practices in their classrooms that are effective in increasing the learning and achievement of young adolescents.
Teachers in all content areas use teaching and learning practices anchored in 21st century literacies.
Students have access to one-to-one computing technology integrated throughout the curriculum, allowing them to acquire the critical thinking skills related to information, media, and technology.
All middle level students experience learning opportunities that emphasize creativity and innovation.
School leaders, using a collaborative and democratic leadership model, focus on establishing an environment that supports the learning needs of young adolescents.
Faculty, administration, and students collaboratively build a safe and caring climate that nurtures the individual while creating a sense of community where everyone is valued.
Students benefit from organizational structures within the middle grades that maximize the sense of community, support meaningful relationships, and optimize curriculum delivery.
Students have access to a co-curricular program that encourages all students to participate, develop skills, be a member of a team or activity, and simply have fun.
Teachers' professional development is an ongoing process that is embedded into the daily life of the school.
Parents are actively involved in the life of the school and their child’s education.
Teachers, administrators, and staff who are responsible for the education of young adolescents are knowledgeable about their developmental needs and appreciate them for their uniqueness.
Middle level educators in the state of Maine are requested to follow these principles within their classroom everyday. I think these are useful practices that should also be included to the high school level of education as well. Middle school presents an interesting time to every child's life and educational experience. With these principles, educators can ease the constant flux and transition that is taking place everyday to their own students. Being aware of these issues and inventing proactive solutions to them will not only increase the educational experience of middle school students in Maine, but help them bring these values with them to high school, and hopefully towards their post-secondary education. These principles, if enacted properly among educators, educational staff, and students will in turn add value to out society.
Table of Contents
Synthesis
This article, Bright Futures, is mainly about Maine middle schools and the development of these middle schools, to reach their full potential that is ideal and satisfactory for student success. This article outlines 12 core practices that are based on the Maine Learning Results that outline what a middle school in Maine could, and should, try and look like. These core practices are things like integrated curriculum, the use of computers in the classroom, effective uses of different methods of instruction and the use of creativity to produce innovation. According to the Bright Futures article these different components are the key to running a successful middle school. The article also talks about how successful middle schools are healthy and safe learning environments for all students, considering the importance, and hardship, of middle school both educationally and emotionally for students, fostering a safe and healthy learning environment is encouraged for student success.
In the responses to Bright Futures, one of the most common takeaways was that middle school students face a unique set of challenges, because of the incredible amount of changes they are experiencing. Beyond that, the responses varied quite a bit, while still focusing on a small handful of ideas presented in the text. Many people wrote about aspects of curriculum, agreeing that it should be integrated across multiple disciplines, and be relevant to the lives of the students. A few responses also mentioned the importance of bridging the divide between the school and the community, and how doing so can benefit students, parents, and the community. On the topic of community, there were also mentions of how teachers should strive to create a sense of community within their classrooms, and a supportive environment. Although it wasn’t specifically stated in each response, the underlying message was that students need strong support systems to successfully transition through middle school, but that providing support does
not mean removing challenge.
Rhi
This article begins talking about how Knox Middle School went from being a junior high school with a "checklist" of things that they needed to have, to a middle school with teams of teachers who are positively impacting their students on a daily basis. They went through a process, which I think is so cool, by creating an advisory committee, comprised of teachers, students, and parents, to figure out what a "successful" middle school looks like. They visited other schools and researched what the best practices were for a middle school and had debates and conversations on what was the best option on how they could implement them into their own school. This all came after the school got a new superintendent and a new principal. They came out of this with small teams of teachers that fostered a better environment for both teachers to create cross subject relationships and be able to better assist their students both inside and outside of the classroom.
"Above all else, young adolescents need adult advocates—parents and family, teachers, community members, and others—who recognize their positive possibilities, challenge them to their highest abilities, and support them unconditionally." This quote is the basis of what I believe in most as a future educator. This is true for all students, but it is very important in the middle school years when students are going through so many changes developmentally. They need strong support systems from anywhere they can get it. If not at home, than I believe it is their teacher's responsibilities to both be that support and also to help them find support in good friends or in community members. Maybe high schoolers or local mentor programs.
Miranda
Before even beginning to read Bright Futures I thought it was going to be similar to standards, where it just lists more standards and somehow expect teacher to include all of that in their curriculum for the year and make it harder for teachers to teach what they already have. After reading this article I found that this can actually be a very helpful guideline in directing kids to where they need to go in school, and what they need to learn. In this article they actually give a "standard" but it is a preexisting standard that includes a MLTI, or MLR standard and they include this with a more elaborate explanation. They also provide an in class example and different goals for each section. It gives examples of how to tie one concept to another, like the internet with their history standards and how these standards that have been proposed can be up lifted to get kids to the point that they need to learn. This makes kids, make more connections across disciplines and subjects as well as allow kids to connect to their community, school and understand some basic concepts in life, that a normal curriculum may not provide for them. Throughout all of this, it is ultimately trying to make a whole, well rounded student.
Elizabeth
"Bright Futures!: A Framework of Twelve Core Practices for Maine Middle Grades Schools Developing Full Academic, Personal and Social Potential for Maine Young Adolescents" was published by the Maine Department of Education in 2009. In this post, I'm going to focus on the 12 core practices outlined on pages 9-11.
The first component is that teachers should create an integrated curriculum that is organized, relevant to students' lives, accessible to all students, and challenging. This is an excellent start, and I think all teachers strive to do this. I think the trickiest part of this would be making the curriculum accessible to a classroom of diverse learners while also challenging even gifted students. Exploring this question might also lead to debate about the benefits of grouping students heterogeneously or homogeneously.
The second and third components require teachers to employ effective, research-backed methods of instruction which are centered around ensuring that students will be considered literate in our contemporary society. This is important because we want to ensure that teachers are presenting information in effective ways so that it's accessible to students. At the same time, I hope this standard allows for teachers to collaborate often and have the opportunities to try out new teaching methods.
The fourth aspect states that students need their own computers and that they should use them regularly in different subject areas. This enables students to become technologically literate. I think that it's essential for today's students to be comfortable with using technology, but that technology should not be the main focus in the classroom. Students should be well-rounded and comfortable with writing things out by hand, doodling, and holding physical books, as well as interacting with their digital counterparts.
The fifth component is that learning should be based in creativity in innovation. This aims to promote divergent thinking in students. This is really important! The purpose of education is to help give students the support, knowledge, and skills they need to be successful in life. No matter what career path students ultimately choose, they will all need to know how to solve problems, think critically, and be creative. Incorporating opportunities for students to create solutions to problems in the classroom setting gives them the opportunity to take risks and make mistakes in a safe, low risk environment.
What's more, they also maintain that school leaders should ensure that their school is a positive learning environment and a safe, caring community for all students. This is something I really value. It's important for teachers to really understand the culture of their school and their community. High school students are still figuring out who they are, what they value, and what their sense of morality is like. It's up to school staff members to model acceptance, compassion, positivity, and love to their students.
Teachers are also encouraged to foster a sense of community in their classrooms where students can build meaningful relationships. Additionally, students should have access to programs where all students are valued team members and can gain skills and have fun together. This is a great idea, but I wonder what it would look like in the average public school. I think the best thing a school could do would be to offer a wide variety of clubs, activities, and sports, and be open to students suggesting or creating new ones. This would allow students to meet new friends outside of the classroom and explore their interests.
In accordance with these standards, teachers and administrators are also lifelong learners. They are constantly seeking to improve themselves and their schools by learning and implementing new curriculum and teaching strategies. Furthermore, they are aware of the unique needs of adolescents and how best to reach them. The world is ever-changing, and teachers need to keep up! We must constantly be evaluating what we teach and how were teaching it to ensure that students are receiving an education that is accessible, meaningful, and engaging for them.
Finally, the last standard involves the role of parents. "Bright Futures!" advocates for parents to be actively involved in the school community and their child's education. This is an excellent sentiment, but the school should also serve as a place where parents can find resources. For example, teachers shouldn't give extra credit to students whose parents attend parent teacher conferences. That's unfair to students whose parents work schedule does not allow for them to attend conferences, or for students whose parents are neglectful of them. Instead, schools might consider hosting support groups for single parents, or the parents of teenagers in general. I think that this setting would bring parents who might not typically be involved in the school community together, and it would make them feel more supported.
Sarah
During the article, I was really intrigued with the final idea that it takes more than just a middle school to make all these changes happen. Yes, the article was focused on the changes that were made in a middle school, which normally wouldn't be as interesting for me since I have little interest in the middle school, but I think this article helped me realize that just because I want to teach in a high school my students had to get their education before they get to me somewhere. If what is happening in the middle school doesn't fit what we are doing in the high school, the teachers and administration will be spending the first two years of high school trying to show the kids what we really want them to be doing. There needs to be a push for a strong education at this primal age for the students. I also found it interesting that it was part of this Bright Futures plan that here at UMF there is a middle-level education class. I have always thought that that class was very interesting for our certificates are for 7-12 but there is such a big jump from one age group to the other. The content becomes harder to grasp, the maturity level changes drastically, and it is overall such a hard age range to decide what we should and should not be teaching. By having a middle-level class, it allows for the teachers to become more equipped with what it takes to tailor to middle school students.
There was also a lot of information in each of the 12 core practices of course, but it seemed really out of reach. After each of the rationales that included anything from parent involvement to professional development, there was a short snapshot of what that could possibly look like. Each very different but fit in well with each other. There was also a short explanation that it is understood it is going to take a while to accomplish all of these goals, but there are ways to implement some of them immediately; funding and organization. These two goals are very important to make anything happen in the schools.
John
The first thing that stood out to me was the Bright Futures mission statement. It is all about better the middles level practices. It has high expectations for all their students and uses the Maine Learning Results as a basis for the curriculum, instruction, and assessment. I have been a big fan of the Maine Learning Results for a couple of years now because it breaks everything down into simple standards that are easy to follow. One of the best things about it is they advocate for young adolescents even if what they do may not be current practice or easy to accomplish. This initiative has been growing for many years and that’s what makes it a lasting and profitable resource. It is always evolving and improving in order give young adolescents what they need and part of that is making sure that the teachers are all up to date and knowledgeable about all things in their field of teaching. Those teachers need to make sure that the learning experiences in their classes are meaningful, coherent, and relevant so that students can think at high levels. This will better prepare them for their futures. Aside from academics, this curriculum helps students understand themselves and the world they live in, while broadening their views on such things. Bright Futures talks about what it is like when students first reach middle school. They have a heavier work load as well as an increase in sophistication of reading and writing in multiple content areas. Focusing on these areas with ongoing instruction will improve the literacy in all content areas and bring each student to the same standard of reading and writing ability. Bright Futures is a well thought out initiative that I cannot help but agree with.
Riley
I spent last summer working at a summer camp and had ten middle schools boys in my cabin all summer. From this experience I know how difficult middle schoolers can be, but I also know that middle school is a critical time for maturing and for growing. If our middle schools are not doing a good job, students will not be ready for high school, which is setting students up to fail.
What I really like from this article is the emphasis on making cross subject and real world connections. I like how it allows students to connect to their communities and to work on real world projects.
Another big part of middle school has nothing to do with the school work itself but rather the school environment, and that is the maturation process for these students. I just think it's so important for teachers to build relationships with these students and to help them with their struggles, even the ones outside of their school work. It's just such an important time for these kids and middle school teachers have to be there for these kids to help in any ways possible. These kids will not be ready for high school and then the real world if we don't.
Samantha
Bright futures is a framework designed for middle school students to help develop academic, personal, and social potiential through academic instruction. Bright futures bases their researched-based framework off of twelve practices that educators can integrate within their own classrooms.
The Core Principles Include:
Middle level educators in the state of Maine are requested to follow these principles within their classroom everyday. I think these are useful practices that should also be included to the high school level of education as well. Middle school presents an interesting time to every child's life and educational experience. With these principles, educators can ease the constant flux and transition that is taking place everyday to their own students. Being aware of these issues and inventing proactive solutions to them will not only increase the educational experience of middle school students in Maine, but help them bring these values with them to high school, and hopefully towards their post-secondary education. These principles, if enacted properly among educators, educational staff, and students will in turn add value to out society.